What to do on the master channel?

[tehlord]

Would you guys say that UAD and/or DSP in general is the difference between what good software can do and the magical pixie dust that gets sprinkled over a great sounding mix? I have no point of reference and i'm trying to justify spending a few hundred quid on something that might not really make a difference to MY music?

[FrankGIK]

Originally Posted by tehlord

Would you guys say that UAD and/or DSP in general is the difference between what good software can do and the magical pixie dust that gets sprinkled over a great sounding mix? I have no point of reference and i'm trying to justify spending a few hundred quid on something that might not really make a difference to MY music?

Well, look at it this way: the way we define what's "good" has been shaped over the last 50 years or so primarily by particular pieces of hardware: the 1176, the LA-2A, the Fairchild compressor, the Pulteq EQ, SSL buss compression, NEVE-style EQ...and on and on. That little extra sparkle, that punchy kick/snare/bass, that smooth, finished-sounding vocal all have some hardware in common much of the time, and much of it is listed above. The UAD emulations are the best representation of this hardware that I've ever heard, and it definitely adds something positive to a track. It's not going to make crap into gold, but it'll make it stink a lot less. If you've got something good already, the right plugins can make a big, big difference.

Frank

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by FrankGIK

Well, look at it this way: the way we define what's "good" has been shaped over the last 50 years or so primarily by particular pieces of hardware: the 1176, the LA-2A, the Fairchild compressor, the Pulteq EQ, SSL buss compression, NEVE-style EQ...and on and on. That little extra sparkle, that punchy kick/snare/bass, that smooth, finished-sounding vocal all have some hardware in common much of the time, and much of it is listed above. The UAD emulations are the best representation of this hardware that I've ever heard, and it definitely adds something positive to a track. It's not going to make crap into gold, but it'll make it stink a lot less. If you've got something good already, the right plugins can make a big, big difference.

Frank

That's what I wanted to hear and my wallet didn't.

Thanks

[FrankGIK]

Originally Posted by tehlord

That's what I wanted to hear and my wallet didn't.

Thanks

The first time you ram a vocal through an 1176 and hear what happens...well, you'll never regret spending the money. Go ahead, try the all-buttons mode on a bass...feel the cheesy grin spread across your face..

Frank

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by FrankGIK

The first time you ram a vocal through an 1176 and hear what happens...well, you'll never regret spending the money. Go ahead, try the all-buttons mode on a bass...feel the cheesy grin spread across your face..

Frank

I'm watching a UAD1 card on Ebay as we speak.

....what's that dear? New clothes for the little one? It's 32deg C outside he'll be fine

[Tifstorey]

Originally Posted by tehlord

I'm watching a UAD1 card on Ebay as we speak.

....what's that dear? New clothes for the little one? It's 32deg C outside he'll be fine

Best not be the one i've got my eye on

[FrankGIK]

Originally Posted by tehlord

I'm watching a UAD1 card on Ebay as we speak.

....what's that dear? New clothes for the little one? It's 32deg C outside he'll be fine

Cold weather produces tough people. Look at the Vikings. Yeah. Tell her that!

Frank

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by Tifstorey

Best not be the one i've got my eye on

The one I was watching went for £100, that's cheap isn't it even though it's the older model?

[Tifstorey]

Originally Posted by tehlord

The one I was watching went for £100, that's cheap isn't it even though it's the older model?

Well yeah, that's an alright price.

I'm actually looking at the UAD-1e as i went with an iMac this time round. £80 it was last time i looked. Get bidding!

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by Tifstorey

Well yeah, that's an alright price.

I'm actually looking at the UAD-1e as i went with an iMac this time round. £80 it was last time i looked. Get bidding!

Sadly, the lack of slots in my PC is hindering my index finger from the buy button. I've just ordered a powered USB hub so that I can possibly remove the additional PCI firewire/USB card from my PC. Perhaps this justifies the ordering of components for a new audio only PC

[Tifstorey]

Originally Posted by tehlord

Sadly, the lack of slots in my PC is hindering my index finger from the buy button. I've just ordered a powered USB hub so that I can possibly remove the additional PCI firewire/USB card from my PC. Perhaps this justifies the ordering of components for a new audio only PC

Without hijacking the thread and turning it into a 'you should buy a mac' () i'd say go for it. Although, if it's just a USB card you've got taking up the space, it's easy enough to hold off for a while... and perhaps save up for a mac

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by Tifstorey

Without hijacking the thread and turning it into a 'you should buy a mac' () i'd say go for it. Although, if it's just a USB card you've got taking up the space, it's easy enough to hold off for a while... and perhaps save up for a mac

I might go for a Mac sometime in the future, but then I always remember the only real reason to do so for me is Logic. And I really like Cubase I'm pretty handy at building PCs and sorting out issues (that I rarely get using XP) so it'll probably only happen when I have a spare £1500 sitting around doing nothing.........

My biggest mistake last year was buying a cheap Dual Core Athlon and using the thrown in mobo, which was lacking in features

I really do need an audio only PC anyway as my one is used for every conceivable thing at the moment and it's starting to sweat a bit.

[cane creek]

My UAD-2 is currently broke so until it gets fixed i won't bother producing any music , i like the UA plugins so much im just gutted having to make music without them so i dont bother

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by cane creek

My UAD-2 is currently broke so until it gets fixed i won't bother producing any music , i like the UA plugins so much im just gutted having to make music without them so i dont bother

So you'd say that they're superior (in terms of pleasing sound) than even the stalwart software solutions such as sonnox and Waves?

I'm starting to realise that subtle and transparent is far more effective than -0.1 db and obvious.

[cane creek]

Originally Posted by tehlord

So you'd say that they're superior (in terms of pleasing sound) than even the stalwart software solutions such as sonnox and Waves?

I'm starting to realise that subtle and transparent is far more effective than -0.1 db and obvious.

Better than sonnox and Waves ?

Sonnox do their own thing modeling the old sony console , ive never used the console but the plugins sound great.

Waves make good plugins i just don't like the company and don't wish to give them my hard earned cash.

The UA plugins are the best plugins ive used on a computer and UA are a good company to deal with ive never yet payed the full price for a UA plugin and own nearly all of them (shame my f@!$ing card it broke )